Nearest Town: Hill City
The Washburn Lake Forest Road is over five miles long and takes you through quite a variety of habitat. The first mile and a half consists mostly pine forests. After about two miles there is a large marshy area just before Washburn Lake, the rest of the road is a mixture of deciduous woods and pines.

In the first mile and a half you may find a variety of interesting birds, including Cape May Warbler, Black-backed Woodpecker, Mourning Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ovenbird, Warbling Vireo, Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, Red-tailed Hawk and Great Crested Flycatcher. In the marshy area that follows, you may find Sedge Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Sora, Virginia Rail, Wilson’s Snipe, Alder Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat and Savannah Sparrow.

At Washburn Lake, there is an access and parking area. On the lake, you can find nesting Trumpeter Swan, Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Black Tern, Belted Kingfisher, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Bald Eagle and Osprey.

In the woods following the lake you can look for Ruffed Grouse, Broad-winged Hawk, Black-throated Green Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Winter Wren, Scarlet Tanager, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, White-throated Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Brown Thrasher and Gray Catbird.

Some of the animals found along the road include Moose, White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Porcupine, Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Red Fox, Coyote and Least Weasel. In addition, the road is absolutely alive with a wide variety of wildflowers and butterflies in the middle of the summer.

Directions: From Hill City, take State Highway 200 east for approximately six miles or from Jacobson, take State Highway 200 west for approximately ten miles. The well-marked Washburn Lake Forest Road is on the south side of the highway.